The perfect daytrip: 4 things to do in Amersfoort

Going to Amersfoort but not sure what to do? Here are 4 things to do in Amersfoort you don’t want to miss out on when visiting this fair Dutch town.
 
Just a little bit east of Utrecht makes for a great day trip, being only a measly 30 minutes away by train from Amsterdam and being the central point of the Netherlands.
 
This Dutch town has some picturesque canals, old Dutch homes, delicious hot spots and grand historic sites to offer to any visitor. So get on board that train/car/fiets to Amersfoort and let’s have a look at some things that need to be on your things-to-do-in-Amersfoort bucket list.
 
We also made a video! Showing you 7 spots in Amersfoort you don’t want to miss!

Things to do in Amersfoort: take in the sights

Since it’s a little bit out of the west (where all the tourists clog up things anyway), Amersfoort is a little bit less well-known as a place to visit, a hidden gem of the Netherlands! Especially since Amersfoort has some amazing classic canals, Dutch houses, and historic sites which are seriously impressive.
 
Amersfoort-netherlands-medieval-town
So many things to see and do! Image: Depositphotos

More than just the Koppelpoort

The ‘Koppelpoort’, a land- and watergate built in 1425, is the iconic and lovely postcard image of Amersfoort. And rightly so, it’s very nice, but there’s so much more to see!

Koppelport-amersfoort-netherlands
What an iconic sight! Image: Depositphotos

Although the city centre is compact, which makes for great strolling around, you will enjoy quite a few places to stop and gaze at marvellous street scenes or pieces of historic architecture.

Amersfoort is really good at showing off its rich history, and just walking around through its cute little streets and enjoying the heck out of it is one of those great things to do in Amersfoort.

Amersfoort-canals-lined-with-trees-netherlands
Walking around in Amersfoort is very relaxing! Image: Depositphotos

If you want to see all those sweet spots in Amersfoort and get the most out of your visit, then look up this very thought-out walking route through Amersfoort!

Things to do in Amersfoort: get cultural

The amount and quality of modern art on display in Amersfoort contrast nicely with its rich history. Just next to the Koppelpoort, there’s the Eemhuis, the spot to go for your fix in modern art and design.

The headliner in the Eemhuis is the KAdE museum, which always has a temporary exhibition going on about art, architecture or design.

Eemhuis-KAdE- museum-amersfoort
Some funky displays at KAdE! Image: Supplied
modern-library-at-KAdE-museum-amersfoort
Not too shabby to study at this library! Image: Supplied

Besides KAdE, the library and bar are also places you definitely want to see — the modern library reading room was one of those things that really made me realize that I had missed out by not visiting Amersfoort sooner!


Another thing to do in Amersfoort is: visit the Mondriaanhuis. It’s a museum dedicated to its most famous citizen, the Dutch painter Piet Mondriaan (and not a total coincidence, but it’s his birth house as well!)

READ MORE | 16 superb things to do in Amersfoort in 2022

The man led a really interesting life, and the Mondriaanhuis does a great job of telling you his story. There’s a light-art display which really blew my mind, a must-see that one!

Mondriaanhuis-museum-amersfoort
A must-see museum if you plan to take a day trip to Amersfoort! Image: Supplied

 

More into urban art and such? Hit up the ‘Nieuwe Stad’ where they transformed a few industrial buildings into a hub for art, industrial design and good food.
 Speaking about food…

Things to do in Amersfoort: Eat lekker food at a hotspot

There are plenty of places to enjoy a proper drink and some good food in Amersfoort. With more and more creative entrepreneurs opening up places packed with delicious food, great drinks all in a nicely set up trendy decor. The Nieuwe Stad has a great option for lunch; we enjoyed a delicious lunch at ‘Het Lokaal‘!
 
 Everything at Het Lokaal comes from the region of Amersfoort, making it all nicely locally produced. They also bake their own bread, brew their own beer and roast their own coffee – nice! You can also see and taste all the effort in this delicious salmon sandwich I had for lunch.
Het-Lokaal-restaurant-amersfoort
Locally produced food? Count us in! Image: Supplied
Eat your locally produced lunch or dinner at their livingroom-like seating area or their gorgeous urban garden 🙂
 

Address: Oliemolenhof 90, 3812 PB Amersfoort

Website | Facebook | Instagram

For a drink, especially when the sun is shining (or when it’s raining and you think ‘fudge it, I want the beach’) there’s Zandfoort aan de Eem.

Zandfoort-aan-de-Eem-amersfoort
This is such a vibe! Image: Supplied

It’s a beach bar right next to the Eem, so that makes it an urban beach. Zandfoortaan de Eem was already around before this whole concept got trendy (13 years!), and it has a nice funky vibe going on (and cocktails, which always makes for a good time).

Getting a drink at Zandfoort aan de Eem is definitely one of those things to do in Amersfoort.

Address: Eemlaan 100, 3812 ED Amersfoort

Website | Facebook

For dinner in Amersfoort, we went to Dara. Again one of those cosmopolitan surprises I didn’t see coming in a town like Amersfoort (should know better by now). Right across from the Eemhuis is the Mediterranean/oriental restaurant Dara — it has a lovely terrace for you to watch life in Amersfoort pass by and a funky interior which makes it an easy choice for any day of the year.

Dara-restaurant-amersfoort
Great views of the Eemhuis! Image: Supplied

But of course, the reason why you would actually want to come is the food. Oh boy, so much and so good.

Dara-restaurant-delicious-food-amersfoort
Hold on, we are drooling over this food! Image: Supplied

Dara specializes in bringing you and your group tons of little dishes (think mezzes!) to enjoy together (shared dining is the best new food trend since pulled pork imho). Without an exception, it was all good and also looked the part.

Since you can just pick whatever you want (please pick the Borek and Mussels btw!), you can also go there for just a little bite and drink as well.

Address: Grote Koppel 5, 3813 Amersfoort

Website | Facebook

Things to do in Amersfoort: Climb the ‘Onze lieve Vrouwen Toren’

This Gothic church tower in Amersfoort is standing 98 meters tall and is one of the highest medieval towers of the Netherlands. The Our Lady square at the base of the tower is also a buzzing spot of Amersfoort and a must visit.

There used to be a church attached to the tower as well, but a somewhat unlucky soldier and an accident with gunpowder blew it all up to smithereens in the 18th century.

gothic-church-tower-in-amersfoort-square
The square in front of the tower also is always a great idea for a drink. Image: Supplied

You can buy tickets to ascend the tower at the nearby tourist office (visit there anyway for free maps and tips!), it’s a little bit of a hike, but the accompanying guide tells a good story, and the views are totally worth it, as you can see:

hike-amersfoort-onze-lieve-vrowen-toren
Whoa! Image: Supplied

Looking for more inspiration on things to do in Amersfoort? Check out the city of Amersfoort website!

What is your favourite thing to see/do in Amersfoort? Tell us in the comments below!

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in September 2017, and was fully updated in April 2023 for your reading pleasure. 

Feature Image:Depositphotos
Abuzer van Leeuwen 🇳🇱
Abuzer van Leeuwen 🇳🇱http://www.abuzervanleeuwen.nl
Abuzer founded DutchReview a decade ago because he thought expats needed it and wanted to make amends for the Dutch cuisine. He has a Masters in Political Science and IT but somewhere always wanted to study history or good old football. He also a mortgage in the Netherlands and will happily tell you too how to get one. Born and raised in Rotterdam, Abuzer now lives in Leiden but is always longing back to his own international year in Italy.

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2 COMMENTS

  1. Abuzer, Thank you for your informative article on Amersfoort. My wife and I may be going there this Saturday. Although we have been there before, you have shared some places we still need to visit.

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